Author: Just like the classic, this Vegan Red Velvet Cake is a gorgeous deep rich red with vanilla and cocoa flavour and a subtle zing from vinegar (this is traditional, trust me on this)! And of course, the cake is frosted with vegan cream cheese frosting for the classic combo. Oh la la! I've been asked to veganize a red velvet cake more times than I can count. With both Valentine's Day and the red carpet event of the Oscars coming up, I thought now was the perfect time to finally share my recipe. I hope you enjoy!
Yeah, my mouth is watering already.
This cake might look and taste all sorts of fancy, but it is actually quite easy to prepare. The cakes come together quickly and needs to be cooled completely before frosting, so I usually make the cake layers the day before I want to serve it.
The frosting takes just a few minutes to whip up and can be made the day before as well and stored in the fridge. Then when ready, just frost and serve!
Just like all of my dessert recipes, this cake tastes just like the traditional version, and no one will be able to tell it's vegan!
Enjoy this cake as a romantic after-dinner dessert, or (my favourite) for a breakfast treat with coffee in the morning.
How To Make Vegan Red Velvet Cake:
In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
In a medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. Add enough red food dye so that the wet ingredients are a very vibrant red. As for quantity, it will depend on the intensity of the food colouring used. For the gel, I used 1 heaping teaspoon. For a liquid dye, it would likely be closer to 2 tablespoons.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until the batter just comes together, don't over mix. The colour of the batter will deepen when cooked for the perfect red velvet colour.
Evenly divide batter among the cake pans. Bake 30 - 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan before removing.
How To Make Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting:
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and slowly mix in. Increase the speed and whip the frosting until fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of plant-based milk at a time, mixing in, until the desired consistency is reached. Depending on the cream cheese used if the frosting is too sweet, add a pinch of salt and mix in.
If you like a lot of frosting you may want to double the amount.
Alternatively, you could make my cream cheese frosting recipe found in my cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan (page 170) which doesn't require any vegan cream cheese!
Store the frosting in the fridge until needed. Make sure the cakes are cooled completely before frosting.
For the Final Touches:
I saved some of the cake crumbs collected when I was levelling the cakes, broke them up, and sprinkled them around the edges of the cake. I think it's the perfect way to decorate this vegan red velvet cake, so cute!
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull
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Vegan Red Velvet Cake
Servings: layer cake (8" diameter)
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 ⅓ cup plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
- ⅔ cup light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- vegan red food dye, *see notes
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz vegan cream cheese
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
- plant-based milk,, if needed
- salt, if needed
Instructions
To make vegan red velvet cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
- In a medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. Add enough red food dye so that the wet ingredients are a very vibrant red *see notes. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until the batter just comes together, don’t over-mix.
- Evenly divide the batter among the cake pans. Bake 30 - 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan before removing.
To make vegan cream cheese frosting:
- Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and slowly mix in. Increase the speed and whip the frosting until fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of plant-based milk at a time, mixing in, until the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting is too sweet, add a pinch of salt and mix in.
- Store the frosting in the fridge until needed. Make sure the cakes are cooled completely before frosting. Generously frost the cakes as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕
cara says
what cream cheese brand did you use for the frosting?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Great question, Cara! I usually use brands like Violife 🙂
Zinnia says
Good texture, but lacking in taste. Followed recipe exactly and remade it even thinking I must have done something wrong the first time and the cake itself is incredibly underwhelming. Not nearly as sweet as it should be 🙁 icing is fine but the cake shouldn’t rely on icing to be good imo
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Zinnia, red velvet is a bit more subtle in flavor compared to a classic chocolate cake (it's somewhere in between vanilla and chocolate), so it can sometimes come down to personal preference on sweetness. That said, it shouldn’t taste bland, so if you ever give it another try, you could add an extra couple tablespoons of sugar to suit your taste. I’m glad you enjoyed the frosting at least 🙂
Ema says
Made the cake but into muffins for work's "palentine's day". I didn't use the icing recipe because I'm lazy and used ready made.
The cake was tangy and chocolatey without being too sweet and soft and light. Another amazing recipe ❤️
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Ema I LOVE that you made these into Palentine’s Day muffins!! 😍 So happy they turned out, and no shame in store-bought icing, lol!
Lisa says
Hi! I would love to make this recipe and I only have 9 inch cake pans instead of the suggested 8. Do you have any tips for how to modify or would you suggest just making cupcakes? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Lisa! Yes, 9-inch pans will work, the layers will just be a bit thinner, so start checking a few minutes earlier. Cupcakes are a great option too!
Drew says
Any changes to make this into cupcakes
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Drew! Yes, you can absolutely make this into cupcakes 🙂 Just line a muffin tin and fill each cup about ⅔ full, then bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. This recipe should make about 24 cupcakes (depending how full you fill them). Enjoy!
Derek says
Not made the receipt yet, I was wondering if I could use blanched almond flour in place of plain flour, if so then do I need to reduce the amount of oil and by how much. Thank you.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Derek! Almond flour won’t work in place of regular flour in this cake since it won’t rise or hold together the same way. I recommend sticking with all purpose.
Derek says
Thank you for the advice, all purpose (plain) flour it is then.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
You’re very welcome, Derek! Happy baking 😊
Francesca says
how much beet powder would you use to replace food coloring
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Francesca, I would start with 2 to 3 tablespoons of beet powder and adjust from there depending on how deep of a red you’d like. Just keep in mind the color will be more muted and earthy compared to food dye. Enjoy!
Natalie Mc says
I just made this for my son’s Birthday and it was delicious!! Everyone raved about how good it was! I made it last night (I used the metric measurements) assembled, wrapped and stored in fridge until after dinner this evening. It was moist and had great flavor! I am the only vegan in the household so it’s nice to have a delicious recipe everyone enjoys! Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! That makes me so happy! So thrilled you enjoyed it Natalie, thank you for the review 🙂
Pat says
Great cake recipe but I can’t get the frosting to stop being runny. Very tasty frosting but I need it to solidify a bit more. 🙏🏻
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Pat, I am so glad you enjoyed the cake. For the frosting, try popping it into the fridge for fifteen to twenty minutes to firm up. Vegan cream cheese softens very quickly, so a little chill time usually brings it together. If it is still too soft, add a bit more powdered sugar and beat again. For next time, if you were using a tub style cream cheese, try switching to a block style vegan cream cheese. They tend to be much firmer and gives the most stable frosting. Also different brands of vegan cream cheese can vary a lot in firmness. I hope that helps! Enjoy!
Ann says
Thank you for this recipe! I just baked this cake but it turned out extremely oily. Should I decrease the amount for the next time? Thank you
Ann says
Amount of oil I meant
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Ann, so sorry you had this experience, it really shouldn’t turn out oily, so I’m wondering if something went a bit off during the process. A few things that could cause that are adding a little too much oil (just want to double check you measured 2/3 cup?), using a different type of oil or plant milk than listed, or if the cake was slightly under-baked. When made as written, it should bake up with a light, fluffy crumb (it has a 4.9 star rating with lots of happy bakers 🥰). If you give it another try, I’m confident you’ll get the same perfect texture.
Ann says
Thank you! I realized I made a few mistakes (oil cup measurement!) Baked it again and it turned out fabulous! Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh yay!! I am so glad we found the problem and that it turned out so well for you! Thanks for the update Ann, enjoy the cake!
Upasana says
Amazing! I’ve tried many but this was the first to actually taste like a non-vegan red velvet
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! That makes me so happy! Thank you for the review Upasana 🙂
Anitha Tallam says
Hi!
Can I make this with Oat milk instead, please?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Anitha, yes any kind of plant-based milk will work here, oat milk will be especially great as it is usually nice and creamy. Enjoy!
ANdrea says
Hello,
I want to make this…how do I store the cake before frosting if making the day before?
Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Andrea, great question! Just let the cake layers cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temp overnight. They’ll be perfect for frosting the next day! 😊
Kate says
I see there is a Wilton red red gel and a Wilton red no taste gel. Which would you recommend please.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Either one should do the trick!
Yogi Jackson says
I baked this superb vegan cake today. It was soft, moist and awesome.
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe. Much appreciated.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your review!
Roop Kaur says
Absolutely delicious! Made the cake recipe exactly as described and it had the best flavor and texture! Doubled the cream cheese frosting in order to cover the whole cake 🙂
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!! That makes me so happy. Thank you for the review 🙂
Pixie Patchouli says
Mine was delicious but it turned out brown not red...I think this was my own fault as I'm pretty sure I accidentally added an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder (not complaining!) The frosting was beautiful, so impressed with vegan cakes so far! Easy recipe to follow. Thanks 🙂
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Pixie, So glad you enjoyed the cake! 😊 The amount of red food coloring can vary quite a bit depending on the brand/kind. You really do have to eyeball it to get that perfect red hue, making sure the batter looks as vibrant as the photos. And adding extra cocoa could make it more brown too. Thrilled to hear you loved the frosting and found the recipe easy to follow. Thanks for your kind words! 💛
Danielle Muchoe says
Can you use gluten-free flour?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Danielle, I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour myself, but a good 1:1 gluten-free baking blend (the kind with xanthan gum) should work! The texture might be slightly different, but many readers have had success swapping all-purpose flour for a high-quality gluten-free blend in similar cake recipes. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out! 😊
Jessica says
So moist and flavorful! Tastes identical to the normal one. I made my cake batter with avocado oil & organic oatmilk. The vegan cream cheese frosting was very soft so I didn't need to add any oatmilk, and used nearly 4 cups of powdered sugar, then kept the cake in the fridge so it stayed structurally sound. But the flavor was amazing!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Jessica! So happy you loved it so much! If you found the frosting a bit soft it could be due to different brands of vegan butter and vegan cream cheese. I usually use Violife Cream Cheese and Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread. Also ensure they are both cold and hard (not melted). I hope that helps! Thank you for your review 🙂
Acacia says
How much beet powder would you use?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
I haven't tested this, so I do not have a precise measurement, but start with a small amount, adding more as needed, until your batter reaches a similar color as the photos. Enjoy!
tilly says
can I use oat milk?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yes absolutely! Enjoy!